Two GMA documentaries selected to compete in Al Jazeera’s docu film festival

Reel Time’s “Bato, Bato, Pick” (Stone Pickers) and Front Row’s “Lusong Dunong” (School in the Swamps) are part of the Official Selection for Competition in the Medium Films Category of the 11th Al Jazeera International Documentary Film Festival (AIDFF) which is presently being held in Doha, Qatar from November 26 to 29, 2015.

“Bato, Bato, Pick” tells the story of a family of stone pickers in La Union. Imelda and her sons Reymald, 10 years-old and Reymar, 8 years-old, work hard to pick kilos of stones to sustain their family’s daily needs. Everyday, they fight heat and exhaustion to earn only P150.00 or $3.00 per day.

“Lusong Dunong” shows the plight of teachers and students in a public elementary school north of Manila where the rising tides signal the start of what seems like a never-ending burden. Flood creeps into the school, gradually submerging the classrooms in knee-deep, filthy water.

Among the 775 submissions, 147 documentaries were selected to participate in the final competition. Prior to the festival, Reel Time’s “Bato, Bato, Pick” has also been nominated for the Special Jury Award- Society Category of the International Gold Panda for Documentary held in Sichuan, China just this November.

Front Row’s “Lusong Dunong” also won Silver Medal in the 2014 New York Festivals and was also a finalist in the 2015 International URTI Grand Prix for Author's Documentary.

This is the second time GMA Network was included in the list of AIDFF's Official Selection. Reel Time's “Batang Aquarium” (Aquarium Kids) was also a finalist in the Medium Films Category last 2013.

“Bato, Bato, Pick” and “Lusong Dunong” will be screened tomorrow, November 28 (Saturday) at 11 AM and 1 PM respectively at Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Doha, Qatar. The film showing is open to the public.---BMS/GMA Public Affairs